[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 56 (Wednesday, April 9, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2825-S2826]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      DESIGNATING APRIL 2008 AS ``NATIONAL 9-1-1 EDUCATION MONTH''

  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Calendar No. 629, S. Res. 
468.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 468) designating April 2008 as 
     ``National 9-1-1 Education Month.''

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. DURBIN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent the resolution 
be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, the motions to reconsider be 
laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate, and any 
statements be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 468) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 468

       Whereas 9-1-1 is nationally recognized as the number to 
     call in an emergency to receive immediate help from police, 
     fire, emergency medical services, or other appropriate 
     emergency response entities;
       Whereas, in 1967, the President's Commission on Law 
     Enforcement and Administration of Justice recommended that a 
     ``single number should be established'' nationwide for 
     reporting emergency situations, and other Federal Government 
     agencies and various governmental officials also supported 
     and encouraged the recommendation;
       Whereas, in 1968, the American Telephone and Telegraph 
     Company (AT&T) announced that it would establish the digits 
     9-1-1 as the emergency code throughout the United States;
       Whereas 9-1-1 was designated by Congress as the national 
     emergency call number under the Wireless Communications and 
     Public Safety Act of 1999 (Public Law 106-81; 113 Stat. 
     1286);
       Whereas section 102 of the ENHANCE 911 Act of 2004 (47 
     U.S.C. 942 note) declared an enhanced 9-1-1 system to be ``a 
     high national priority'' and part of ``our Nation's homeland 
     security and public safety'';
       Whereas it is important that policy makers at all levels of 
     government understand the importance of 9-1-1, how the system 
     works today, and the steps that are needed to modernize the 
     9-1-1 system;
       Whereas the 9-1-1 system is the connection between the eyes 
     and ears of the public and the emergency response system in 
     the United States and is often the first place emergencies of 
     all magnitudes are reported, making 9-1-1 a significant 
     homeland security asset;
       Whereas more than 6,000 9-1-1 public safety answering 
     points serve more than 3,000 counties and parishes throughout 
     the United States;
       Whereas dispatchers at public safety answering points 
     answer more than 200,000,000 9-1-1 calls each year in the 
     United States;
       Whereas a growing number of 9-1-1 calls are made using 
     wireless and Internet Protocol-based communications services;
       Whereas a growing segment of the population, including the 
     deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind, and individuals with 
     speech disabilities, are increasingly communicating with 
     nontraditional text, video, and instant messaging 
     communications services and expect those services to be able 
     to connect directly to 9-1-1;
       Whereas the growth and variety of means of communication, 
     including mobile and Internet Protocol-based systems, impose 
     challenges for accessing 9-1-1 and implementing an enhanced 
     9-1-1 system and require increased education and awareness 
     about the capabilities of different means of communication;
       Whereas numerous other N-1-1 and 800 number services exist 
     for nonemergency situations, including 2-1-1, 3-1-1, 5-1-1, 
     7-1-1, 8-1-1, poison control centers, and mental

[[Page S2826]]

     health hotlines, and the public needs to be educated on when 
     to use those services in addition to or instead of 9-1-1;
       Whereas international visitors and immigrants make up an 
     increasing percentage of the United States population each 
     year, and visitors and immigrants may have limited knowledge 
     of our emergency calling system;
       Whereas people of all ages use 9-1-1 and it is critical to 
     educate those people on the proper use of 9-1-1;
       Whereas senior citizens are at high risk for needing to 
     access to 9-1-1 and many senior citizens are learning to use 
     new technology;
       Whereas thousands of 9-1-1 calls are made every year by 
     children properly trained in the use of 9-1-1, which saves 
     lives and underscores the critical importance of training 
     children early in life about 9-1-1;
       Whereas the 9-1-1 system is often misused, including by the 
     placement of prank and nonemergency calls;
       Whereas misuse of the 9-1-1 system results in costly and 
     inefficient use of 9-1-1 and emergency response resources and 
     needs to be reduced;
       Whereas parents, teachers, and all other caregivers need to 
     play an active role in 9-1-1 education for children, but will 
     do so only after being first educated themselves;
       Whereas there are many avenues for 9-1-1 public education, 
     including safety fairs, school presentations, libraries, 
     churches, businesses, public safety answering point tours or 
     open houses, civic organizations, and senior citizen centers;
       Whereas children, parents, teachers, and the National 
     Parent Teacher Association contribute importantly to the 
     education of children about the importance of 9-1-1 through 
     targeted outreach efforts to public and private school 
     systems;
       Whereas we as a Nation should strive to host at least 1 
     educational event regarding the proper use of 9-1-1 in every 
     school in the country every year;
       Whereas programs to promote proper use of 9-1-1 during 
     National 9-1-1 Education Month could include--
       (1) public awareness events, including conferences and 
     media outreach, training activities for parents, teachers, 
     school administrators, other caregivers and businesses;
       (2) educational events in schools and other appropriate 
     venues; and
       (3) production and distribution of information about the 9-
     1-1 system designed to educate people of all ages on the 
     importance and proper use of 9-1-1; and
       Whereas the people of the United States deserve the best 
     education regarding the use of 9-1-1: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates April 2008 as ``National 9-1-1 Education 
     Month''; and
       (2) urges Government officials, parents, teachers, school 
     administrators, caregivers, businesses, nonprofit 
     organizations, and the people of the United States to observe 
     the month with appropriate ceremonies, training events, and 
     activities.

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